The present invention relates to cushion constructions for furniture having improved cushioning properties.
Chairs having upholstery covered cushions on their seat and backs are known. The cushions provide a cushioning effect that conforms at least somewhat to a seated user""s body to provide increased comfort. A common cushion in chairs is a polyurethane open-celled foam cushion that is preformed to an initial shape. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,153, to Armitage et al., issued Jan. 12, 1998, entitled Cushion Manufacturing Process, discloses one such cushion manufacturing process utilizing a polyurethane foam. A problem is that the polyurethane will degrade over time, leading to breakdown of the polyurethane foam that generates dust and a degradation of cushioning properties. The dust and breakdown potentially adds to environment dust in the building where the chair is located. Also, the breakdown and loss of material results in changes to the cushioning support provided by the cushion. Polyurethane foam cushions also suffer from other disadvantages. Polyurethane foam is not recyclable, leading to increased landfill costs when scrap is generated. Further, the polyurethane foam typically has a pinched-off edge or weld line of higher density material running around its perimeter. The higher density material can cause quality problems, both in terms of poor appearance due to its roughness, stiffness, and protruding nature, and also in terms of an unattractive bumpy feel when a person sits on or feels the fabric covering the higher density material. Still another problem is caused when a seated user sweats against a polyurethane foam cushion, because the polyurethane foam cushions are sometimes not able to wick away the sweat (or at least not fast enough), depending on the foam and the volume of sweat.
Accordingly, an improved cushion construction for furniture is desired that solve the aforementioned problems and have the aforementioned advantages.
In one aspect of the present invention, a chair includes a base, a back, and a seat. At least one of the back and seat include a support panel, a cushion thereon made from a non-woven fibrous mat, and upholstery covering at least a side of the cushion. In a narrower form, the non-woven fibrous mat comprises polyethylene terephathalate (PET) that is recyclable, with at least some fibers being from reground pop bottles and similar containers.
In another aspect of the present invention, a chair component manufactured for use in a chair includes a flexible support panel having a support surface shaped to support one of a seated user""s back or a seated user""s buttocks and thighs. A relatively thin cushion made from a non-woven fibrous mat of polymeric strands covers the support surface of the support panel, and upholstery covers the cushion. In a narrower form, the upholstery is wrapped around edges of the support panel and secured to a reverse side of the support panel.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method includes steps of cutting a blank from a sheet of non-woven fibrous material, forming the blank into a preformed cushion shaped to support one of a user""s back or buttock and thighs. In a narrower form, the method includes a step of attaching the preformed cushion to a support panel to provide a stiffened cushion assembly.
These and other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to a person of ordinary skill upon reading the following description and claims together with reference to the accompanying drawings.